The Night is Dark
by 0-8-4
Summary: Ward has nightmares after Garrett and his actions. May knows how it is to have nightmares and is there to comfort Ward. This is not meant to be a May/Ward fic, but perhaps it can be read as such. Fluffy!


**Disclaimer-**_ I don't own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._

**Story-**_ probably will stay as one piece unless I want to turn it into a series. This is not intended to be a May/Ward fic. There is no romance unless you would like to see it! :)_

* * *

Melinda May sighed and stood up, stretching. She had decided that 3:30 a.m. was a good time for her to take a break from the wheel. The Bus was on autopilot and would be more than capable of taking care of itself. The rest of the team, except for perhaps Coulson, would be asleep so she'd be able to have at least a half hour to herself. A half hour to get some coffee, maybe sleep or read a book sounded simply heavenly to her.

As she was walking past the bunks, May could hear Fitz talking in his sleep, Simmons mumbling about some sort of biological formula, Skye was a quiet sleeper so there was no sound from her bunk, but as May paused outside Ward's bunk, she could soft sounds as though he was tossing and turning in his bed. She was about to ignore it and keep walking, until she heard a soft whimper and Ward pleading with someone who was most likely in a dream.

May glanced towards the kitchen area, longing for her book and a cup of coffee. She sighed and knew she'd never forgive herself if she ignored him.

"Ward?" she knocked lightly on the door, not wanting to disturb anyone else.

There was no answer and May quietly opened the door. It was as she had expected, Ward was tangled in his blankets one arm haphazardly thrown across his face, the other twisted in the sheets. Closing the door softly, she sat lightly on the very edge of the bed and placed a firm hand on Ward's shoulder. Now that she was sitting there, May could hear what Ward had been mumbling.

"Garrett…stop…please…stop…I'm not…I didn't…" hearing what he had been saying, May was almost tempted to wake him up. But then she remembered how Simmons had sobbed when she had come back to the team, how still and pale Fitz had been and how devastated the entire team had been at Ward's betrayal. May was almost tempted to let Ward suffer through his nightmares. But she knew how it was to have nightmares so terrifyingly real that it wasn't until you woke up that you realized it was just a dream, and even then the realization often didn't help.

May had seen the security footage of Garrett hitting Ward; the entire team had seen it. Ward had never fought back, he had just taken it, probably believing that it would make him stronger, or worse believing that he somehow deserved it.

"Wake up" her voice was calm as she spoke to Ward. The specialist let out a soft groan and flinched as May carefully palmed his cheek.

"Ward, come one, wake up" May said it again, only a little more forcefully. She ducked just in time as Ward blindly swung his fist in her direction. He came to with a startled gasp and immediately scrambled away from May.

"M-May?" Ward was horrified when his voice came out weak and stuttering. He was tempted to reach up and run his fingers along his jaw and cheek. Garrett's fist against his face had been almost too real. After a minute he hesitantly brushed his fingers along his jawline, relieved to see that the wetness he felt was only sweat, not blood as he had feared. May watched him with careful, scrutinizing eyes until Ward felt ready to start squirming. He was starting to see why she was such a good interrogator.

"Stay here" she ordered abruptly and slipped out of his bunk.

"Not like I was planning on going anywhere anyways," Ward whispered to himself. He looked down at his blanket and picked at a stray thread.

"You're back" Ward looked up in surprise as May entered his bunk. She gave him an unreadable stare and handed him a glass of water.

"Drink this. All of it."

Ward looked at the glass. He could see tiny fragments of something white and powdery in the bottom of the glass. He knew May was probably drugging him, but he didn't care. He tilted the glass back and drank all of it, as May had ordered.

She watched him carefully and he handed the glass back to her. She took it and set it down on the shelf next to Ward's bed.

"Go to sleep" she said softly and rose to leave.

"Wait" Ward caught her hand and almost as quickly as he had caught it, released it. He was already beginning to feel sleepy, whatever had been in the water was working quickly.

"Can you stay? At least until I fall asleep. I– the nightmares…they" Ward looked so helpless that May couldn't resist. She tried to tell herself that he was a traitor, he had betrayed all of them for a psycho that he had thought he had to be loyal to. Nothing she told herself worked. Ward relaxed immediately as he saw May kick off her boots and settle on the bed.

He slowly lay down, pressing as close to May as he dared. They both remembered a time when they would have been a good deal closer and most likely on top of each other. May sighed and slowly ran her fingers through Ward's hair. The specialist whimpered and shifted restlessly, but at May's touch, he quieted.

"May?" Coulson opened Ward's door slightly and stuck his head through.

"Autopilot" she said, anticipating his next question. Coulson nodded and looked rather pointedly at the now peacefully sleeping Ward.

"Nightmares."

Coulson nodded in understanding, he knew what it was like to have nightmares too.

"Good night, May" he said quietly.

"Good night, Phil."

**Fin**

* * *

Hope you enjoyed! I just love sleepy Ward and general fluffiness.


End file.
